TNI chief issue widens Susilo-House divide
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja and Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono banned Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu on Thursday from responding to a House invitation to a selection hearing for the post of Indonesian Military (TNI) chief.
Fueling the already tense relations between the House and the government, Susilo said that he had revoked the letter issued by the previous president on the replacement of the TNI chief so that the House had no longer any legal grounds for continuing to process his replacement.
"The President has revoked the letter on the TNI chief's replacement, and so selection hearings can only begin if there is a request from the President to do so," Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto said after meeting with the President on Thursday.
"Given this situation, there is no need for Pak Ryamizard to respond to the invitation," he added. The TNI law stipulates that the appointment and removal of the TNI chief requires the approval of the House.
Respecting the President's decision, Ryamizard did not turn up for the meeting with the House defense commission affiliated to the Nationhood Coalition which opposes to Susilo's administration. Instead, Ryamizard sent a letter to the House saying that he had not put in an appearance as he had not been ordered to do so by the President.
Defense commission chairman Theo L. Sambuaga confirmed on Thursday that he had received the letter. Another legislator, Hajrianto Tohari of Golkar Party, vowed that the House would continue the process.
"It is not prudent for the President to interrupt an ongoing process in the House," he said.
Endriartono tendered his resignation one month before former president Megawati Soekarnoputri stepped down on Oct. 20. She approved the request and sent a letter to the House to start the process for Ryamizard to be appointed as the new TNI chief. The House then set a date for the selection hearing.
On Oct. 25, however, Susilo sent a letter to the House speaker, saying that he had revoked his predecessor's letter as he preferred to keep Endriartono in his post until he had consolidated his new administration.
The letter infuriated the House leaders, but during a meeting at Merdeka Palace on Oct. 29, Susilo said that he could understand why the House wanted to push ahead with the process. State Secretary Yusril Ihza Mahendra added that there should be no problem as Susilo might recommend the same person for the post.
However, on Thursday Yusril said that by sending his letter to the House, Susilo had in effect rendered Megawati's letter invalid.
"Because (Megawati's) letter has been withdrawn, there is no need for legislators to discuss it," Yusril said after meeting House Speaker Agung Laksono.
Separately, Nationhood Coalition legislators continued with their plan to summon Susilo over Susilo's decision to revoke Megawati's letter and put the replacement process on hold.
Golkar's Yudi Chrisnandi said on Thursday that the plan was supported by 43 legislators from various factions grouped in the Nationhood Coalition and would be submitted to House leaders on Friday.
Based on the House's standing orders, the plan to summon the President via an interpellation motion requires the support of at least 13 legislators. Legislators need the approval of a plenary meeting to push the motion forward.
For the interpellation motion to continue, the request needs to be approved by the plenary meeting, the holding of which is scheduled by the House steering committee, before it is given to the President.
Almost two-thirds of the House's 550 members are from parties opposed to Susilo's administration.